Mike Tomlin Says Switching Mike Adams To Left Tackle Has Produced Positive Results

Last Friday, the decision was made by the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff to flip the tackles as Mike Adams was flipped over to the left side where he replaced Marcus Gilbert, who moved over to the right. Since that move was made the two haven\’t flipped back and head coach Mike Tomlin was asked Thursday during his morning press conference if the switch is now permanent.

“I\’m not ready to say it\’s permanent, I am ready to say it\’s permanent for Saturday night,” said Tomlin. “I do believe that it has been interesting and has produced positive results. We\’ll see what it looks like inside the stadium and kind of go from there.”

The coaching staff has said since the switch was made that we shouldn\’t read too much into the flipping of sides, but it has been hard not to. While Tomlin is not yet ready to name Adams as his starting left tackle, it\’s obvious now that it\’s Adams\’ job to lose.

Gilbert has reportedly not had a good training camp thus far and it did not improve on Wednesday as it was reported that backup defensive end Al Woods handled the Florida product twice during one-on-one drills.

Gilbert has obviously been sent a message now by Tomlin and it\’s up to him to respond Saturday night against the New York Giants.

Gilbert seems to always struggle in camp. Then he gets better during the regular season. Not saying great but better.

steeltown

Gilbert struggled with injury early last season and his overall play was avg up until that point, but it wasn’t that long ago that he was voted Rookie of the Year by his teammates after starting 13games in place of Willie Colon in 2011

In the end, I just hope these guys can stay healthy for an extended period of time so as to get acclimated and comfortable with whichever position they are given rein to

treeher

Gilbert has not “earned” the right to take it easy in practice like the Polamalus and Roethlisbergers of the team. My feeling is that you more than likely play like you practice, obviously with some exceptions. So if I’m the coach, I want to see Gilbert crank it up and show me he belongs. And it’s going on 2 years since he was rook of the year. That’s an eternity in football.

steeltown

One season (2012) since his 2011 rookie year.. and he only played 6games in ’12 before getting injured

But, I agree that he has to crank it up and show he belongs as a starter

Bong

Adams at LT and Beachum at RT, bet on it.

diehard

Really, he gets better? Taking out two other lineman last season by getting tossed around like a rag doll and then getting injured himself is nothing to be proud of. Time to say bye and cut our losses with him. IMO.

Brendon Glad

I commented before camp that my biggest worry was Marcus Gilbert. Hoping he would quell those worries in the meantime. He has not…in fact from your reports they have only increased. HOWEVER, I actually feel BETTER than I did before, because it’s clear that the coaching staff has noticed what many of us in Steelers Nation noticed quite a while ago about Gilbert.
So the excellent camp by Beachum has countered my disappointment in Gilbert. And since Adams was a key difference maker last year at RT, but looked shaky at LT in preseason…it’s REALLY good that he’s showing the ability to handle both sides now. Adams looks like he may be the real-deal.

Brendon Glad

diehard…I’m afraid that we are correct on Gilbert. I feel ALMOST the exact same way. Not ready to cut him. But I have zero trust in him as a starter.
But let’s look “glass-half-full”. The Steelers coaches have NOTICED! And Beachum is playing well apparently. So that bull-rush which knocks Gilbert into multiple teammates’ knees and ruins their seasons may at least not be as huge of a worry as it was 2 weeks ago when he was the CLEAR starter. And apparently Gilbert deserves all of the “credit” for that new development in my “less-scared-to-death” feelings. smh.

joed32

Gilbert was better at pass protection last year than Adams and way better than Beachum. he’s also stronger than Beachum. Granted it’s a new year and players get better or worse but I want to see it in the preseason games before I assume that Beachum will beat out Gilbert or even if Adams is a good let tackle. He played there in his first action as a rookie and was overwhelmed. Let the best players win the positions on the field. I hope they’re all good.

sgtrobo

joe, i don’t think it’s an issue of Gilbert’s “potential”, it’s an issue of Gilbert’s “effort”, which makes his potential seem far away.

Bob Graff

Well what happen to the new and improved line??? It was a bunch of B.S. no one knows how this line will play. The truth is this group is totally untested-unproven it was a huge gamble going with this young unit. Let’s see how it works out but don’t even think about saying new and improved until they become that. Fact is right now they are the biggest unknown going into the season.

Mike.H

What freaks me out is often a #1 college rated OL will be average and outplayed by 6th rounder or undrafted free agent who was once stocking shelves at Home Depot.

Shannon Stephenson

I agree he is avg which is fine since you do not expect all of your OL to be stars but from what I have heard he shouldn’t even be starting.

Shannon Stephenson

I can agree to a point but I think because of all the high draft picks on the OL the expectations are very high which in all honesty should since we have 2 1st rounders and 2 2nd rounders

cencalsteeler

Gilbert might be one of those starters to see more playing time against the Giants than most. The coaches have a nice battle going on between Gilbert and Beachum to evaluate.

Bob Graff

Your’e right Mike, the best example in my opinion is Joe Jocoby.

alex

what does this do to Gilbert above the neck?

can he mentally handle losing the ‘star’ OL position? and maybe RT too?

i think the coaches dont have a choice but to give him his old position @ RT.

i like the youth movement, but some of them just cant handle the drama of life in the NFL, and i think Gilbert is one of them…

joed32

I agree with that and hope they can straighten him out. I just question everyone anointing Beachum as a better player than Gilbert. He may be but I haven’t seen it yet.

treeher

One factor not being discussed here is the impact on performance of putting more emphasis on zone blocking. I’m not informed enough to make a judgment, but maybe Beachum is showing more ability than Gilbert in the zone scheme.

steeltown

I haven’t heard good things either.. im still not giving up on him..yet

sgtrobo

yep, agreed. I am pulling for Beachum but it REALLY seems a bit of a stretch based on how he playd last year, which was quite mediocre. I know some were annointing him as the Steelers’ next LT or RT over Mike Adams, which is absolutely ridiculous

Shannon Stephenson

me neither although I will say Max Starks had horrible preseason’s and seemed to play admireably during the season(please do not judge me by my spelling)